Misplaced Pages

#170829

84-587: Rebel, The Black Bear was the mascot of the Ole Miss Rebels , the collegiate athletic teams of the University of Mississippi . The anthropomorphic black bear replaced Colonel Reb as the official mascot in 2010. On October 6, 2017, Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter announced that the new university mascot would be the Landshark , beginning with the 2018–19 season. In 2003, Colonel Reb was removed from

168-555: A Saturday Night Live skit , the Landshark was originated in 2008 by senior linebacker Tony Fein and adopted by the Ole Miss football team's defensive unit. From September 26 through September 29, students cast more than 4,100 votes; 81% supported the change. On October 6, university chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter announced that the university was switching its official mascot to the Landshark. Ole Miss' major athletic rivals are

252-513: A 20-year span beginning in 1990 (when the north endzone expansion was completed), Florida posted a 113–13 overall home record, which was the best in the nation during that period. They were particularly dominant under Coach Steve Spurrier. They went undefeated at home from the time Spurrier arrived in 1990 until 1994, and lost only three SEC home games during Spurrier's 12 years in Gainesville. Like most historic college football venues,

336-621: A black bear, a blues musician, a cardinal, a "fanatic," a horse, a land shark, a lion, the "Mojo," a riverboat pilot, and a titan. The committee polled University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and season ticket holders about three finalist mascots: the Black Bear, based on the legend that Theodore "Teddy Bear" Roosevelt refused to shoot a bound black bear in Mississippi; the Rebel Land Shark; and Hotty Toddy (essentially

420-727: A combination of high ticket prices and controversial comedic acts caused Gator Growl to fade in popularity among current students and alumni alike, and it was last held in The Swamp in 2013. Since then, it has been held at the nearby Flavet Field bandshell while trying to cater more to current students. Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium has hosted the Florida high school football championships on many occasions, during which title games for different divisions are played over one weekend. Florida Field has twice served as

504-671: A fixture in post-season tournaments since that time. The Rebels have appeared in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship tournament seventeen times, including the inaugural 1982 tournament; they also appeared in the tournament in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2005, and 2007. They have reached the Sweet Sixteen eight times and the Elite Eight five times (1985, 1986, 1989, 1992, and 2007). They have also appeared in

588-503: A mystery. Perhaps the leading theory suggests that the cheer was created by the school's cheerleaders or band. The cheer was printed several days before Ole Miss was set to face off against instate rival Mississippi State, who were said to refer to Ole Miss fans as "Hoity-Toitys. " Ole Miss had lost thirteen straight games going into the 1926 matchup in Starkville. Prior to the game, Ole Miss held pep rallies on campus and even organized

672-475: A nickname which was coined by Spurrier in 1992. As he explained at the time, "A swamp is where Gators live. We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous. We feel like it's an appropriate nickname for our stadium." Both the "Swamp" nickname and the "only Gators get out alive" tagline added later by UF's sports marketing department quickly became popular and have been commonly used ever since. From

756-519: A person in a faceless spandex bodysuit with the name derived from the popular Rebel cheer). The committee ultimately selected the Black Bear, named "Rebel," as the new on-field mascot. Ole Miss Rebels The Ole Miss Rebels are the 18 men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that are funded by and represent the University of Mississippi , located in Oxford . The first was the football team , which began play in 1893. Originally known as

840-656: A temporary home for college bowl games when other Florida stadiums were undergoing renovations. In 1973, Florida Field hosted the Tangerine Bowl , which pitted the hometown Gators against the Miami Redskins while Orlando's Citrus Bowl was being rebuilt. The 1994 Gator Bowl between the Virginia Tech Hokies and Tennessee Volunteers was held in the Swamp while Jacksonville Municipal Stadium

924-685: A train to take the students and the newly formed Band to the game. After Ole Miss won the game, the Rebel fans stormed the field and attempted to tear down their goalposts. A brawl ensued between the two schools, and the following season, the Egg Bowl Trophy was introduced to maintain the peace. The iconic game that led to the creation of the Egg Bowl could also have solidified the Hotty Toddy cheer at Ole Miss. The cheer also appeared in

SECTION 10

#1732802400171

1008-481: A video of a celebrity starting the Hotty Toddy cheer. Some of the celebrities that have participated include Russell Crowe , Snoop Dogg , Betty White , Katy Perry , Morgan Freeman , The Robertson Family from Duck Dynasty , Sandra Bullock , Jack Black , and more A variation of the cheer also appeared in the series, Band of Brothers , written as Highty Tighty, Christ Almighty, Who the hell are we? Zim ram, Goddamn, we’re Airborne Infantry. The school's fight song

1092-399: A way to combat dehydration.) Furthermore, during hot and sunny day games, Florida's sideline (on the stadium's west side) is in the shade provided by the press box, while the visiting team's sideline (on the stadium's east side) is exposed to the sun. Florida fans are loyal (having sold out every home contest from 1979 until 2011) and loud, thus creating a tremendous home field advantage for

1176-727: Is "Forward Rebels." It is played by the Ole Miss " The Pride of the South " marching band at official university sporting events. The song " Dixie " was played by the Ole Miss band for years at athletic events until the University of Mississippi Athletic Department requested to remove the song from the Ole Miss Football and Ole Miss band playlist in 2016. A modification of the Elvis Presley song "An American Trilogy", now known as " From Dixie with Love " or "Slow Dixie",

1260-425: Is a chant unique to Ole Miss . The cheer is primarily used at Ole Miss sporting events, and is commonly started by cheerleaders, fans, and players. The Ole Miss Band plays the cheer with a drum cadence following the school's fight song, Forward Rebels . The band also plays a version of the cheer put to the tune of " Rock N Roll Part 2 ” by Gary Glitter , known as "Hey, Go Rebs!". The two-word phrase "Hotty Toddy"

1344-813: Is a member of the Southeast Lacrosse Conference D1 (SELC) in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). Founded in 1974, the Ole Miss Rugby Football Club plays collegiate rugby in Division II of the Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference against traditional rivals such as Mississippi State and other in-conference collegiate programs such as Memphis. The team is also sanctioned under National Collegiate Rugby which

1428-490: Is commonly used as a greeting between students, alumni, and fans associated with Ole Miss, similar to the University of Alabama's " Roll Tide " and Auburn University's " War Eagle ". Are you Ready? Hell Yeah! Damn Right! Hotty Toddy, Gosh Almighty, Who in the hell are we? Hey! Flim Flam, Bim Bam, Ole Miss By Damn! The cheer first appeared in print on November 19, 1926, in the student newspaper The Mississippian , now known as The Daily Mississippian . The Hotty Toddy

1512-599: Is currently 88,548, although the actual attendance for key games has regularly exceeded 90,000. It is the second largest sports facility in the state of Florida behind only the Daytona International Speedway . Before the 2008 season, the Heavener Football Complex opened on the southwest corner of Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The $ 28 million addition, which was funded entirely with private donations,

1596-467: Is located on the northern edge of the University of Florida 's Gainesville campus. The stadium and its approach are bordered by West University Avenue to the north, Gale Lemerand Drive to the west, and Stadium Road to the south. To the east is the University of Florida Campus Historic District , which is the oldest portion of the campus and includes the Murphree Area student residence complex,

1680-399: Is marching on" at the end of the song. The chant remained a staple for the next several years. In 2009, with Ole Miss in the national spotlight for football success, political pressure mounted to do away with the chant. The Student Body Government proposed to call for the chant to be changed to "To Hell with LSU". When this proposal was not enacted, the university asked the band to quit playing

1764-446: Is meant to be the "front door" of the football program and houses a museum highlighting Florida Football history along with offices, meeting space, a new weight room, and other facilities for the football program Following Florida's 2008 BCS Championship season, large Daktronics HD-16 video boards were installed atop the upper deck of both endzones. The screen in the south endzone is 30 by 137 feet (9.1 m × 41.8 m) while

SECTION 20

#1732802400171

1848-465: Is the home field of the Florida Gators football team. It was originally known as Florida Field when it opened as a 22,000-seat facility in 1930, and it has been expanded and renovated many times over the ensuing decades. Most of the university's athletic administrative offices, along with most football-related offices and training areas, have been located in the stadium since the 1960s. Most of

1932-674: Is the primary national governing body for collegiate rugby in the United States. During the Spring semester of 2024, the club celebrated its 50th anniversary on campus by playing a match against Ole Miss Rugby Club alumni. The Ole Miss Hockey Club was founded in 2009 by Colin Knight, and the team competes against traditional SEC rivals in the South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference (SECHC) of

2016-521: The 1920s , prompting incoming university president John J. Tigert to begin a drive to construct a proper on-campus stadium upon his arrival in 1928. With state funding unavailable at the cusp of the Great Depression , the semi-independent University of Florida Athletic Association was organized to raise funds and oversee the project, and Tigert and ten supporters of Florida's athletic program took out personal loans to expedite construction of

2100-651: The 2007 WNBA draft and went on to an outstanding first season with the Chicago Sky , culminating in Rookie of the Year honors. Coaching legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Van Chancellor built his legacy with eighteen years as the Rebels' head coach, where he compiled a record of 439 wins and 154 losses. Chancellor's legacy also includes several players-turned-coaches, including Jennifer Gillom, who helped Chancellor coach

2184-596: The Florida Gymnasium , and Ustler Hall . Just west of the stadium across Gale Lemerand Drive is the Stephen C. O'Connell Center , which is the home arena for the Florida Gators men's basketball , women's basketball , gymnastics , volleyball , and swimming and diving teams. Beside the O'Connell Center are several football practice fields, an indoor football practice facility, and a football training and administrative building that opened in 2022. The name of

2268-880: The Mississippi State Bulldogs (MSU) and the Louisiana State Tigers (LSU). They have also developed rivalries with the Alabama Crimson Tide , the Arkansas Razorbacks , and the Auburn Tigers . In football, Ole Miss and MSU close each season with the Egg Bowl , with the victor receiving possession of the Golden Egg Trophy. Ole Miss leads the series 64–46–6. In basketball, MSU leads the series 138–105 In baseball, Mississippi State now leads

2352-416: The University of Georgia , and Mississippi State University . In 2010, the university changed the team mascot from Colonel Reb , "a white-goateed, cane-toting Southern plantation owner that many have criticized as racist and anachronistic," to a black bear. In 2017, the Ole Miss student body government held a referendum on whether to change the mascot from the Black Bear to the Landshark. A reference to

2436-511: The Women's National Invitation Tournament in 1999, 2001, and 2006. Entering the 2008 season, the program has an all-time win–loss record of 686–353, for a 66% average. The 1992 team won the SEC with an 11–0 conference record, and finished the season with a final record of 29–3, the most wins in team history. The program has produced such outstanding players as sisters Peggie Gillom , who still holds

2520-668: The "Mississippi Flood", the teams were renamed the Rebels in 1936. They compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I , except for the rifle team, which participates in the Great America Rifle Conference because the SEC does not sponsor that sport. The school's colors are red ( PMS 186) and navy blue (PMS 2767), chosen to mirror

2604-445: The $ 118,000, 22,000-seat football stadium. Construction began on April 16, 1930, and soon faced serious engineering and geotechnical obstacles related to natural groundwater and drainage. The chosen site was a shallow ravine, with approximately 30 rows of the current seating area below the level of the surrounding land. During preliminary excavation and leveling work, water from a previously unknown underground stream began to pour into

Rebel Black Bear - Misplaced Pages Continue

2688-420: The (then ranked No. 4 and future 2008 BCS National Champ) Florida Gators 31–30 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Throughout the 115-year history of Ole Miss football, the Rebels led by quarterback Jacob Bennett, who was also the coach have won six Southeastern Conference titles (1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963) and claim three national championships (1959, 1960, and 1962). However, only

2772-466: The 1960 title is officially recognized by the NCAA. In 2019, the NCAA vacated 33 of the team's victories and levied a two-year ban on post-season play as punishment for recruiting and academic violations under head coaches Houston Nutt and Hugh Freeze . The current head coach is Lane Kiffin , who in 2021 led the team to its first-ever 10–2 regular season. The Ole Miss Rebels baseball team represents

2856-674: The College World Series six times, most recently playing and winning it in 2022. The Mississippi Rebels men's basketball represents the University of Mississippi in intercollegiate men's basketball. They have participated in the NCAA Tournament in 1981, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2013, 2015 and 2019. In 2008 and 2010, the team made it to the National Invitation Tournament Semifinals at Madison Square Garden. The Rebels have won

2940-715: The Collegiate Hockey Federation (CHF). Prior to the 2021 season, the team competed at the division three level of the American Collegiate Hockey Association . The program won their first SECHC Championship on February 9, 2020, with a 3–1 win in the championship game over the Arkansas Razorbacks. The team was led by Captain Braden Storner and Head Coach Josh Herbert. Ole Miss goaltender Ryan Troy

3024-736: The Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The football history of Ole Miss includes the formation of the first football team in the state and the 26th team on the list of college football's all-time winning programs. The Ole Miss Rebels posted their 600th win on September 27, 2008, when they defeated

3108-658: The Gators have not played a regular season home contest anywhere besides Florida Field since September 1980, when they defeated the California Golden Bears in old Tampa Stadium . Not coincidentally, this game was played the season prior to Florida Field's south endzone expansion, which made it the largest football stadium in Florida. The Swamp has acquired a reputation for being a difficult place for opposing teams to play, and has regularly been ranked at or near

3192-479: The Gators. The size and exuberance of the home crowds, when combined with the stadium's close-in design of the seats, concentrates the fan noise at field level, making the Swamp one of the loudest stadiums in America. In 2019, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said that the Swamp was louder than LSU's Tiger Stadium, and amongst the top two loudest stadiums he's ever been in. On November 30, 2019, in a game vs. Florida State,

3276-594: The Ole Miss Band may have borrowed the cheer from the Virginia Tech Regimental Band, which was nicknamed the, “Highty-Tighties” in 1919 Some other theories suggest that the cheer was fashioned by Ole Miss legendary cheerleader and sports fan, Blind Jim Ivy . Also, it is believed that the alcoholic beverage, Hot Toddy , could be the basis for the cheer. Hotty Toddy In Pop Culture Prior to every home football game, Ole Miss plays

3360-546: The SEC Western Division in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2007, and 2010. From 1999 to 2006, Rod Barnes coached the Rebels basketball team, and compiled a record of 141-109 during his tenure. In 1981, the Ole Miss basketball team won their first SEC tournament championship in Birmingham, Alabama and earned their second one in 2013 at Nashville, Tennessee. The Ole Miss women's basketball program began in 1974, and has been

3444-489: The Swamp has several notable features and is the scene of several unique game day traditions: The Florida Football team plays only six or seven home games per season. At most other times, Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is open for students to jog around the concourse, run stadium steps, or just sit in the stands, although the actual playing surface is off limits to prevent turf damage. The university has occasionally held large commencement ceremonies in

Rebel Black Bear - Misplaced Pages Continue

3528-608: The US Senior Women's National Team to the 2002 World Championship; head coach Carol Ross , who returned to her alma mater in 2003; and current associate head coach Peggie Gillom. Carol Ross resigned as head coach on April 26, 2007. During her four-year tenure, the Rebels' posted 77 wins and 50 losses. She was replaced by assistant coach Renee Ladner . Ladner resigned at the end of the 2011–12 season after having gone 70–82 in five seasons. Adrian Wiggins , who had led Fresno State to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances,

3612-586: The University of Mississippi in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the West division of the Southeastern Conference. They are currently coached by head coach Mike Bianco and assistant coaches Carl Lafferty and Chris Cleary. They are currently the second most populated team in the nation – an achievement reached by keeping extra utility players on the roster. They play home games at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. Ole Miss has played in

3696-492: The campus. Wooden bleachers were installed and a football gridiron and baseball diamond were laid out by the end of the year, and University Athletic Field made its debut in January 1911 when the Florida Gators baseball team opened the season at the new facility. Florida's football team began play there in 1911 , which was also the year that they began using the "Gators" nickname. Larger bleachers were installed in 1915, when

3780-462: The construction site from the north, miring the future playing surface in mud. The problem was resolved with the installation of massive underground culverts that diverted the stream to Graham Pond two blocks south of the stadium site, and ultimately, to Lake Alice in the then-undeveloped southern side of the UF campus. The groundwater issues delayed completion of the stadium and forced the Gators to play

3864-602: The decibel level in the swamp exceeded that of Lumen Field , home of the NFL 's Seattle Seahawks , which is among the loudest in the NFL. Combined, these factors create an intimidating environment which can rattle and disrupt opposing teams, making it difficult to hear playcalls and execute assignments. Florida Field has been repeatedly ranked by various publications as being the toughest stadium in which to play for opposing teams. Florida's performance at home illustrates this effect. In

3948-494: The engineering firm HOK . When the new facility is completed, some of the redundant space in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will be repurposed for other uses. Before the 2017 season, new LED ribbon video boards were installed to display college football scores, advertisements, messages, and other visual information. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and other athletic officials have discussed "upgrading

4032-420: The establishment of the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1906 until the 1910–1911 academic year, the school's intercollegiate football team and club-level baseball team played and practiced at Gainesville's municipal athletic park known The Ballpark or as "The Baseball Park". The university began developing its first on-campus sports field in 1910, when it purchased and cleared open land just west of

4116-646: The facility was rechristened "Fleming Field" in honor of recently deceased former Florida governor Francis P. Fleming . Fleming Field had primitive amenities and a maximum capacity of about 5000 with standing room. As Florida began scheduling contests against established football programs from across the south, several "home" games per season were held at larger venues across the state, usually Fairfield Stadium in Jacksonville and Plant Field in Tampa. Florida's football program first earned national prominence in

4200-422: The facility was simply "Florida Field" from its opening in 1930 until 1989, when the university renamed the stadium in honor of citrus magnate Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. , an alumnus and major benefactor of the university and its sports programs. However, the playing surface remained "Florida Field", and the facility's full name was "Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field" from 1990 until 2016. On September 3, 2016,

4284-414: The field which have been measured at 115 decibels—just short of the threshold of pain . The enclosed playing area also enhances the effects of Gainesville's warm and humid fall climate. Game day temperatures at field level have been known to exceed 100 °F (37 °C), creating a swamp-like atmosphere. (This was the impetus for a University of Florida researcher, Robert Cade , to develop Gatorade as

SECTION 50

#1732802400171

4368-541: The first player to be named SEC Defensive Player of the Year twice. With Cheryl Miller she is one of only two players in NCAA history to record 2000 points, 1000 rebounds, 400 assists and 400 steals. As a senior, she was a finalist for the Wooden Award and was named to the Kodak All-American Team; she led her team to their first Elite Eight appearance since 1992. Price was drafted third overall in

4452-464: The first several home games of the 1930 season at Fleming Field. A construction team of 80 laborers and mules finally completed Florida Field in time for the homecoming game on November 8, 1930, against Alabama , the dominant Southern Conference team of the day. In 1934, Florida Field was dedicated to the memory of Florida servicemen who died in World War I, and a memorial plaque to that effect

4536-669: The first several years of the program's existence, the team played home games at the BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo , but the team now practices and plays home games at the Mid-South Ice House in Olive Branch . Despite being nearly an hour away from the Ole Miss campus, the team is known for drawing large and passionate crowds, especially for rivalry games against teams representing the University of Arkansas ,

4620-439: The football program's facilities are slated to move to a nearby $ 60 million building that began construction in 2020. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest stadium in Florida, the 12th largest stadium in the United States, and the 21st largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548 – though, it has often held over 90,000 for Florida's home football games. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

4704-432: The football season to compensate for wear and tear. Florida has played the vast majority of their home contests at Florida Field since it opened in 1930. The most notable exception is the annual Florida-Georgia game , which has been held in Jacksonville since 1933 with the two teams alternating being the official home team. The only seasons since 1933 in which UF and UGA did not meet in Jacksonville were 1994 and 1995, when

4788-402: The old Gator Bowl was being rebuilt as the venue now known as EverBank Stadium for the NFL 's expansion Jacksonville Jaguars and the contest was held at Florida Field and Georgia's Sanford Stadium , respectively. In years past, Florida would occasionally schedule a home game in Jacksonville, Tampa , or (less frequently) Miami and Orlando . But besides the annual meeting with Georgia,

4872-512: The one in the north endzone is 25 by 75 feet (7.6 by 22.9 m). These screens are used to display statistics, replays, advertisements etc. After the 2011 season, an extensive renovation of the 1950s-era concourse under the west stands improved restrooms, lighting, concessions, and crowd circulation patterns and added flat-screen displays for fan viewing. Also at this time, bronze statues of Florida's three Heisman Trophy winners - Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel, and Tim Tebow - were installed along

4956-462: The outer wall of the west grandstand. In September 2016, the school's University Athletic Association Board proposed a $ 100 million facilities upgrade, to include a $ 60 million stand-alone football facility for players. The stand-alone facility would include an updated locker room, 3-D hologram training environment, strength and conditioning center, hydrotherapy space, team meeting rooms, coaching offices and nutrition bar. The facility will be built by

5040-623: The overall quality of the fan experience" at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. This would include better technology for fans and the addition of more luxury areas and chair-back seating at the expense of reducing overall stadium capacity by several thousand. The university has not set a timeline for the work, but Stricklin has said that he expects the project to be completed in phases by around 2025. As part of these improvements, hundreds of small Wi-Fi routers were installed under stadium benches in 2019 to improve fans' internet connectivity during games. The playing surface of Florida Field has also changed over

5124-481: The playing surface was renamed in honor of former Florida quarterback and head coach Steve Spurrier . As UF athletic director Jeremy Foley explained, "Coach Spurrier did more than win a Heisman Trophy, a national championship, and a bunch of games. Coach Spurrier changed the culture of Florida Athletics." As a result, the facility's official name is now "Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium". The facility may be best known as simply "The Swamp",

SECTION 60

#1732802400171

5208-477: The poll. In 2010, Ole Miss students voted to choose a new mascot. The election did not allow the option of reinstating Colonel Reb as the official mascot, in spite of sizable popular support. An internet campaign to adopt the Star Wars character Admiral Ackbar as the Ole Miss mascot gained considerable support. However, the students that began the campaign insisted Admiral Ackbar was not their ideal choice for

5292-472: The previous five seasons as an assistant under Matthew Mitchell at Kentucky . In 2017, Ole Miss' Braden Thornberry was crowned the Men's NCAA Division 1 Individual National Champion . The women's golf team has seen recent success with the team winning conference and regional titles including the national championship in 2021 under the direction of coach Kory Henkes. This was Ole Miss' first women's NCAA title in any team sport. The 2017 Rebels finished

5376-506: The respective school colors of Harvard and Yale . The team's mascot is Tony the Landshark , which replaced the Rebel Black Bear in 2018, which replaced Colonel Reb in 2011. Between 1995 and 2004, 630 Ole Miss student-athletes received all-conference academic honors. The Ole Miss Rebels football team represents the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, in the sport of American football. The Rebels compete in

5460-495: The school records for scoring and rebounding, and Jennifer Gillom , an Olympic medalist, Kodak All-American, and SEC Female Athlete of the Year. Perhaps the most decorated player in the program's history, guard Armintie Price , joined the Rebels for the 2003–2004 season and immediately collected SEC Freshman of the Year honors. In her collegiate career, Price was named to the All-SEC First Team three times and became

5544-454: The school's mascot. Instead, they intended the character as "the face of a push to start a fresh mascot search at Ole Miss." Lucasfilm , owners of the Admiral Ackbar character, declined to give Ole Miss the rights to use his image for their mascot, but commented, “Lucasfilm is flattered that our Star Wars fans at the University of Mississippi are considering electing Admiral Ackbar as their mascot. The last time we checked in with Admiral Ackbar he

5628-407: The school's original fight song. According to The Ole Miss Experience , music professor Arleen Tye wrote a fight song for the school in 1931 entitled “Ole Miss.” The song's chorus included “Hi-ty, Ti-ty, Gosh a’mighty, Who the heck are we?”. While the original fight song was discontinued, the school's current fight song, Forward Rebels , includes the Hotty Toddy cheer as well. Some historians believe

5712-489: The season at 22–14 and 8–10 in the SEC. Entering the inaugural postseason National Invitational Volleyball Championship as an at-large invitee, they lost only one set in five matches en route to winning the tournament. Ole Miss has won two NCAA Division I team national championships. Below are six national team titles that are not bestowed by the NCAA: Ole Miss athletes have won 28 NCAA Division I individual championships. The Ole Miss Rebels Men's Lacrosse Club team

5796-444: The series 231–196–5. LSU has a 64–41–4 advantage in the all-time football series with Ole Miss. Arkansas and Ole Miss have a big baseball rivalry. The two schools are usually among the elite programs each year and even met in the College World Series in 2022, with Ole Miss winning 2 out of 3 times to advance to the National Championship where they defeated Oklahoma to win their first national title in baseball. The Hotty Toddy cheer

5880-404: The sidelines at Ole Miss athletic events as the on-the-field mascot after facing criticism that the character was offensive and racially insensitive. A contest was held in which fans were invited to design a replacement. The athletic department chose two finalists, Rebel Bruiser and Rowdy Rebel, and invited fans to vote on their favorite. The limited fan response prompted the administration to cancel

5964-402: The song. The band also plays a modification of "Dixie" called "Dixie Fanfare." Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Former capacity Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (in full Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium ), popularly known as " The Swamp ", is a football stadium in Gainesville, Florida , United States. It is located on the campus of the University of Florida and

6048-455: The stadium instead of having several small ceremonies next door in the O'Connell Center, though the potential for inclement weather usually keeps the graduation events indoors. Florida Field occasionally hosts special events: For 82 years, Florida Field was the home of Gator Growl , a student-produced show and pep rally held the Friday night before the annual homecoming football game that

6132-442: The top of lists of top home field advantages and/or best game day experiences in college football. One of the major reasons is the stadium's design. Originally built in a shallow sinkhole , the playing surface is below ground level. Expansions have enclosed the playing area on all sides with steep stands, and the fans are within a few feet of the action. This traps crowd noise inside the stadium, which results in sound levels on

6216-401: The years. It was natural grass until 1971, when Astroturf was installed and nicknamed "Doug's Rug" for then-coach Doug Dickey . The original artificial surface was replaced with an updated version in 1980, and it remained until 1990, when newly hired coach Steve Spurrier insisted it be removed and replaced with natural grass to help prevent player injury. In June 2012, the playing surface

6300-570: Was also played during football games, both home and away. The song was first played during the halftime performance at the Ole Miss/LSU game of 1980 in Tiger Stadium . Upon its completion, the band received a standing ovation from more than 70,000 people on hand that day. It soon became a staple of the band for many years. During Ole Miss's winning streak of 2003, audiences began chanting " The South will rise again " in place of "His truth

6384-525: Was being rebuilt for the National Football League 's expansion Jacksonville Jaguars . Florida Field was once a busy concert venue, with artists such as Bob Dylan , Joan Baez , Elton John , The Eagles , and Jimmy Buffett among the performers who played at the stadium. However, since Florida Field's last major expansion in 1990, the university has sharply limited the number of shows at the football stadium due to concerns over damage to

6468-410: Was completely removed down to the substrate to install an improved drainage system and in-ground sensors to measure moisture levels and temperature. Since that work was completed, the turf on Florida Field has been a Bermuda grass hybrid developed by UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to better resist drought, disease, and damage. The field is usually overseeded with rye grass late in

6552-417: Was hired as her replacement. However, Wiggins was fired before the start of the 2012–13 season amid an investigation of potential NCAA recruiting violations. Assistant Brett Frank was named as interim head coach in the wake of Wiggins' firing. After the 2012–13 season, Ole Miss hired Matt Insell , the son of Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Insell , as permanent head coach. The younger Insell had spent

6636-409: Was installed on the outside wall behind the north end zone. As originally designed, Florida Field had a capacity of 21,769 and consisted of a gently-sloping, U-shaped concrete grandstand encompassing approximately the lower half of the current seating area. The first row of seats is quite close to the sidelines, so when the university decided to add a running track a year after the stadium opened, it

6720-424: Was installed perpendicular to the football field beyond the open-ended south endzone. This adjoining track facility, which was used by the Florida Gators track and field program beginning in 1932, had its own set of bleachers and was known as Graham Field. Since then, Florida Field has undergone many renovations and expansions, almost always adding more seats: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium's official seating capacity

6804-492: Was leading the Rebel Alliance Fleet on a critical mission so it will be difficult for him to show up for the games!" The student committee charged with choosing a new mascot was formed on March 29, 2010. The committee did not set a definitive time to reveal a new on-field mascot, but tentatively scheduled it for the 2010 football season. The field of suggestions was reduced to eleven candidates: Hotty and Toddy,

6888-712: Was long billed as the largest student-run pep rally in the world, Originally a simple affair, Gator Growl grew over the years and became a major event by the 1970s. The typical program included the introduction of senior football players by the head coach, live student skits, video skits (often with celebrity cameo appearances), a major musical act, and a headlining comedian. During the event's heyday, headliners included Robin Williams , Dennis Miller , Jerry Seinfeld , Dave Chappelle , Bill Cosby , Billy Crystal , Dane Cook , Paula Poundstone , Wayne Brady , Rodney Dangerfield , George Burns , Bob Hope , and Sister Hazel . However,

6972-472: Was named tournament MVP. Following the team's victory, the program received recognition from several notable members of the university community including Chancellor Glenn Boyce and legendary Ole Miss and NFL quarterback Eli Manning , as well as several other Ole Miss media outlets. An online petition campaign to convert the Tad Smith Coliseum into an ice rink received over 600 signatures. For

7056-419: Was printed along with all of the popular sports cheers used by the students at the time. However, the lyrics were slightly different from the version used today. The original cheer was printed: Heighty! Tighty! Gosh A Mighty Who in the hell are we? Rim! Ram! Flim! Flam! Ole Miss By Damn. Possible Origins While there are many theories as to where the Hotty Toddy cheer started, the exact origins remain

#170829